Paper Number One (1)

My family is from Massachusetts, and they reside within close proximity to Boston. Although I have lived in CT for a few years, I am a Bostonian - born and bred. Yes, I am biased, I believe Boston is a wonderful city. It has everything: history, culture, art, architecture, the marathon, sports teams (yes, the Red Sox), the Harbor, Aquarium, Science Museum, Quincy Market, Faneuil Hall, the Public Gardens, Newbury Street, Cambridge, the Charles, the Pops, and so much more. With its New England charm and European flair, “there’s no place like home.”

Boston has some of the best schools in the country: MIT, Wellesley, Smith, and Harvard (to name a few). The rivalry between Harvard and Yale continues so when my husband and I went to the Yale Center for British Art I wasn’t expecting much - to my surprise the exhibitions were great.

I was immediately drawn to John Frederick Lewis, 1805 – 1876, “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick” (Epistle of James, 5:15) oil on plywood panel, 1872, the colors in his painting were magnificent. Red, turquoise, orange, yellow, blue, violet and green - they were so vibrant they jumped out from the frame. I was also intrigued by the work of Frank Auerbach, born in 1931, oil on board, ca 1955. His portraits were of his friends, and their expressions were of utter despair and emptiness, his work is dark, disturbing, and hauntingly beautiful.

And then “it” happened. I was in awe of a painting by John Atkinson Grimshaw, 1836-1893, oil on canvas, ca. 1884 and the title: Evening Glow. I was mesmerized by the “light” in the painting. As I moved closer my eyes filled with tears, and I felt pure inner-peace, heavenly-like. I felt the presence of my mother, as though she was hugging me (she is deceased). My husband asked if I was alright, I answered yes, and proceeded to immerse myself in this painting.

Prior to becoming an aesthetic artist, John Atkinson Grimshaw worked as a railway clerk. In 1836 he was born in Leeds, and was the son of Arthur E. Grimshaw a policeman. His parents were opposed to his decision to make art his career. John was influenced by the Pre-Raphaelites, and he created vivid, highly finished landscapes. He slowly developed his own distinctive style, and subject matter. He became a consummate painter of twilight, night time, and autumnal scenes. John spent vacations in Scarborough, and many of his pictures were created there.

In the mid 1880’s he had a London Studio and painted nocturnal harbor and dockside pictures as well. His commercial success warranted him to purchase Knostrop Hall on the outskirts of the city. Rumor was he was a friend of Whistler. His paintings consisted of interiors, portraits, and fairy pictures, but his most accomplished pictures were of attractive sophisticated young women in opulent interiors.

In the early 1890s John’s style shifted in a new direction, showing Sand, Sea, Summer, and Fantasy of 1892, and At Anchor 1893. His formal style of painting was moving toward a freer, flowing, less informal style - perhaps influenced by Whistler. Unfortunately, this change of direction came to a halt when John Atkinson Grimshaw died of cancer in 1893.

My mother and I spent autumn afternoons (her favorite time of year) walking around Beacon Hill, sharing our lives with each other, as mothers and daughters often do. Ironic that she passed away on a warm, glowing autumn day.

John Atkinson Grimshaw and his painting Evening Glow reminded me of a precious gift, my mother's love.


Magical days,

and mystical ones...

Golden days...

and days to treasure...

Feel the warmth, of love around you

and embrace the life

you have been given.

Peace...